Chapter 184 The Machiavellian

Beep!--

[S-Rank Adventurer Marz

Quest In Progress: Eliminate the Threat at the Border of the Abandoned Kingdom!

Monsters Killed: 99760]

"...."

"...The fuck? I don't remember killing that many monsters," I muttered, confused as I looked at the count on my wristwatch.

Irethiel peeked at my watch, hearing my muttering, and was left dumbstruck for a moment.

"Hmm, I think it also included the monsters killed in the aftermath of the demon lord's death as my kills," I speculated.

"...Yeah that makes sense, as there's no way that there could be that many monsters in the pazuzu's dungeon," Irethiel remarked as she sighed.

"I wonder what the adventurer association headquarters' reaction will be when they see the data on the number of monsters I've killed," I said with a grin.

"...I think they'll go broke trying to pay your reward, Master," Meria said abruptly.

"Even I was shocked when I saw the number of monsters you've killed displayed on your wristwatch while I was removing it," she added.

'As expected from my master,' Meira thought, her eyes sparkling with admiration for Ares.

"...."

"Just by looking at your face, I can tell what you're thinking," I said to Meira.

"A-Ahem, it's just that I've never met someone like you, Master. You seem even younger than me, but to accomplish such a great feat at your age... it's worthy of my admiration," Meira said in a low voice shyly, as she coughed and averted her gaze.

"....."

I was taken aback by her reaction. In the novel, she was described as having a cold personality and being a woman of few words. This friendly and talkative behavior was unexpected, but I didn't mind it.

"You're admiring him too soon. You'll know what kind of person he is now that you'll also be staying by his side," Irethiel remarked abruptly, bringing Meira back from her reverie.

"...But I still don't understand how you were able to make such a strong demon your servant, and more importantly, why doesn't she behave like a servant?" Meira asked as she gazed at Irethiel.

"Tch, he tricked me into signing a contract. That's how," Irethiel stated, remembering the incident.

"...My master tricked a demon? Isn't it usually the other way around?" Meira asked, perplexed.

"Well, let's just say she was trying to trick me, but in the end, I tricked her instead," I said with a chuckle.

"Impressive! As expected of my master," Meira said, nodding repeatedly.

"...."

"Arggh, can you stop bootlicking him?" Irethiel said in a frustrated tone.

"Bootlicking? This is how a servant should behave, though. It's you who's being ungrateful. If it were someone else other than my master, you would have already been like a broken doll," Meira stated.

"Hmph, I don't need anyone to tell me how a servant should behave," Irethiel replied, crossing her arms. "And don't think that just because you're his new servant, you can speak to me like that. I've been with him for a long time, and I know him better than anyone else." Irethiel stated.

Observing Irethiel's behavior toward Ares, which was more akin to that of a comrade than a servant, Meira was reminded of her own experiences as a gladiator's servant - a disposable tool for her master's entertainment.

Though she had agreed to serve Ares in gratitude for his help with her revenge, she never expected to feel anything more than emptiness in return.

But seeing Ares treat her with kindness and care, even going so far as to offer her an advanced healing potion, stirred something in Meira's heart.

It had been so long since anyone had treated her with anything resembling kindness or concern. In the gladiator arena, emotions had no value - it was every man for himself, and anyone who got close to you was as good as dead.

You would have to kill them with your own hands the next day, and only one of you would come out alive

But Ares was different. Hearing the warmth and concern in his voice stirred something in Meira that she had long thought dead. She couldn't explain the feeling, but she knew she never wanted it to end.

"I'll protect my beloved master at all cost!" the words echoed in her mind, a mantra that she couldn't shake. She would do anything to hear his concerned voice toward her again, to feel that warmth in her heart.

'Whatever it takes, I'll do it. For him.' She made a vow to herself, her expression was resolute.

"...Even if it meant going against the whole world for him," She muttered aloud unknowingly her eyes gleaming in a strange aura.

!?

Irethiel and Ares turned their attention to Meira when they heard her muttering. "What did you just say?" Irethiel inquired as she furrowed her brows.

Meira jolted out of her trance again when she heard Irethiel.

"It is nothing," Meira said. "Oh, and I am all healed now. Shall we depart right away, master?" she asked with a smile as she got on her feet.

"Hmm? Are you sure? You were just grimacing in pain a few minutes ago, though?" Ares asked.

"Thanks to your advanced healing potion, I am all healed up now, and the residual pain also subsided as well," Meira replied with a smile.

"Alright, if you are fine, we can leave after you get changed then," Ares stated.

But there was something that he couldn't understand when he heard her. And that was... how did she know that he gave her an advanced healing potion? Wasn't she unconscious?

'Maybe she deduced it, sensing how fast she was healed?' He thought.

'...But her cracked ribs could also be healed by an intermediate-level healing potion, so how could she tell that I used an advanced healing potion and not the intermediate one?' Ares continued to think as he glanced at Meira, who was standing there smiling brightly at him.

"I will get changed right away and will be right back," Meira said as she disappeared into the shadows.

Hearing her, Ares came out of his thoughts. "You should get changed as well, Irethiel," he said as he turned toward her, but saw she was lost in thought as well.

Irethiel came out of her daze and nodded as she exited the room.

'However, she couldn't stop thinking about Meira's words, "Even if it meant going against everyone in the world for him." What did she mean by that?' Then she shook her head, thinking that she might just be overthinking things.

As they both left, Ares was left alone in the room. His mind raced as he replayed Meira's muttering and the intense expression on her face.

He sensed a strange aura emanating from her with his left eye, though he didn't exactly know how to interpret that aura since he was still new to seeing them, but her eyes reminded him of Livia's possessiveness as seen in the footage from Ivica's office.

"Hmm, it seems my little plan worked perfectly. I didn't expect it to be so easy to manipulate her with just a few sweet words," he muttered to himself, a sly grin forming on his lips.

'Even if it meant going against the whole world,' she says.

It's always useful to have a loyal and possessive servant, especially one who is willing to go against the whole world for me,' he thought with a smirk.

He knew that Meira's possessiveness could be dangerous, but he also knew that it could be a powerful tool if he could control it.

As he left the room, his mind continued to race with possibilities of how he could use Meira's loyalty to his advantage.

***

After changing their clothes, Irethiel and Meira met me in the hallway.

Meira emerged from the shadows dressed in a simple, fitted black tunic with trousers that hugged her toned figure. Her outfit was completed with a pair of black leather boots that reached just below her knees.

Irethiel had changed into a fitted white blouse tucked into a pair of high-waisted black pants. She wore a black blazer and a pair of pointed-toe heels, her hair pulled back into a neat bun.

"Are you guys ready to go?" I asked as we met in the hallway.

"Yes, Master! I am at your service," Meira replied, giving a slight bow. Irethiel just nodded in agreement.

"Why not transform into your crow form?" I asked Irethiel as we exited the mansion.

She was currently in her human form, which she could only maintain for a few hours at most.

"I will transform when my skill wears off," Irethiel replied. It seemed like she wanted to show off the new clothes that she had bought while shopping with Rose before we arrived at the Abandoned Kingdom.

I ignored her casual response and we headed toward the garage where Meira had parked the vehicle.

We seemed to be in the countryside, pretty far away from the warp station, so we had to travel there in a vehicle.

I wanted to use my new wings and fly there directly, but I was not used to them and needed some practice before I could fly to far places.

CLANG--

As we arrived at the garage, the door opened upwards, revealing the sleek and stylish sports car, with a low-slung body and sharp, angular lines.

The exterior was a glossy, midnight black, with gleaming silver accents and a hood that sloped down to a pointed front. The windows were tinted dark, providing privacy and adding to the car's air of mystery.

Meira walked over to the driver's seat and pressed a button on her wristband, causing the car to start up with a low hum.

"Please get in, Master," she said, opening the back door for me.

I got in and sat down, followed by Irethiel who sat on the other side. Meira took her place in the driver's seat, her hands steady on the wheel.

She started the car, and the engine roared to life with a loud vroom.

VROOM--

***